miamivicefandomcom-20200223-history
The Prodigal Son
"The Prodigal Son" is the two-hour second season premiere of Miami Vice. The episode premiered on September 27, 1985. Summary Crockett & Tubbs head to New York to track down drug dealers that kill Federal agents. Plot In Bogota, DEA agent Drummond takes Crockett & Tubbs to a hideout of the local military who have an informant captured who works for the Revilla Brothers drug cartel, and is trying to find out their flight schedules. When they arrive, they find a torture chamber where the informant is subject to electric shocks when he doesn't talk. Tubbs tries to get information without the torture but is thwarted by the soldiers, Tubbs was able to get "Cross of Jesus" out of him before Drummond gets them out to prevent them from being killed, as soon as they leave the hut the informant is shot down. At OCB, the Vice & DEA agents discuss the clue to the Revilla's drop, Crockett mentions years earlier he busted a Colombian who said his drop was called "Christ's Crossing", and they determine it's the same location, in the Everglades. Castillo agrees to join DEA on the bust. They go to the Everglades and observe a boat bringing drugs to a plane, and the police demand to drop weapons. A shootout results, killing most of the drug dealers/helpers. An extensive search fails to turn up Miguel Revilla, who escapes. After the bust, Crockett & Tubbs go to a DEA party held by Drummond, but when they get there gunshots ring out, Drummond is killed, Gina is badly wounded and rushed to the hospital, only one of the shooters got away. Gina has surgery but is too early to tell about her condition. The DEA Commander (Bill Smitrovich) says the Revillas are not the typical drug dealers, they grow, buy, import, market, and ship with profits all the way, they have gone to New York, there were two New York DEA agents killed as well as Drummond, and they want the Revillas flushed out and eliminated. However the DEA's security has been violated, possibly by a Revilla operative gaining access to DEA files on all their agents, and they recommend two Miami Vice cops become big-time drug dealers that can go to New York to bring out the Revillas. Crockett & Tubbs go to see Newton Blade (Gene Simmons), the "Sears & Roebuck" of controlled substances, to locate a New York contact for a load of cocaine that never made the police lockup, and he recommends Jimmy Borges. Crockett & Tubbs go to the Big Apple and meet up with the NYPD Lieutenant Pierson (Charles Dutton), who is very uncooperative until Crockett makes a phone call, which causes Pierson to suddenly become very cooperative. Tubbs is looking for his former flame, Valerie Gordon, but leaves a message. A very blue man (Kevin Anderson) is causing trouble in the office until Tubbs puts him out. Crockett & Tubbs track down Jimmy Borges (Penn Jillette) who initially refuses to help until they mention the large load of cocaine they have to sell, with a 50 kee cut for Jimmy. They meet at Club Delirious and get acquainted with Frank Sacco (James Russo) and his "girlfriend"...Valerie (Pam Grier), and Crockett speaks with Sacco while Tubbs & Valerie dance. Sacco is not "hungry" for cocaine because of the Revillas. Valerie tells Tubbs about the NYPD investigation of Sacco, and her role in it, while Tubbs tells her of DEA's problems with the Revillas. Sacco leaves, and Valerie joins Crockett, who thanks him for helping her after what went down in Miami, and while Tubbs & Valerie get re-acquainted, Crockett walks the streets of New York. Borges meets the Revillas who warn him not to do business with "the hotshots from Miami". While Valerie leaves Tubbs after dancing, Crockett meets a woman that caught his eye at Delirious in another bar, Margaret (Susan Hess), who plays hard to get, then they catch a cab for a night of lovemaking. Crockett wakes up the next morning in her studio, Margaret is gone and his gun is missing. Tubbs, meanwhile, has found Valerie's (and Sacco's) apartment, but doesn't move in. Jimmy meets up with Crockett & Tubbs and he is very reluctant to do any deals due to the Revillas, but they travel around to many locations in New York, but no one is buying, saying they already have suppliers (Revillas), including a transvestite pusher (Charles Ludlam) & his partner (Everett Quinton) who don't want to cross the Revillas, at any price. Jimmy gives up and leaves, and NYPD suddenly shows up gloating that the "hotshots from Miami" aren't getting anywhere. Crockett & Tubbs concoct a plan to disrupt the Revilla's supplies. They tell Jimmy of their plan, and that they would increase his cut to 50% of the gross, then the Revillas' gunmen show up for an ambush at Club Delirious, Crockett & Tubbs shoot both, and Jimmy tells them where the Revillas' supply is delivered, in Jackson Heights. Crockett goes to Margaret's studio to get his gun back, and make dinner plans. Tubbs goes back to Valerie's place and confronts her about her role with Sacco. Valerie says she's good to her and will move on him when she gets the order. Tubbs cannot understand what she's waiting for and leaves. Crockett wakes up in Margaret's bed (while she's on the phone with someone) and they make small talk. Crockett & Tubbs track down the Revilla's shipment, steal it, and blow up their warehouse. The Revillas are angered by this and want to set up a meet with Crockett & Tubbs. The New York DEA Commander Rene (Anthony Heald) is angry about this turn of events and claim Crockett & Tubbs are out to start a drug war. Miami DEA wants the operation to continue, but New York DEA and NYPD refuses to help them, leaving Crockett & Tubbs out to dry. While Valerie watches Sacco have a meeting with Margaret and another man, Crockett & Tubbs go to see Jimmy, but they find him shot dead, and hitmen after them. After escaping they find the hitters were from Sacco. Tubbs goes to see Valerie demanding she tell him why Sacco tried to kill them, and who turned Sacco onto them. Before Valerie can say anything, Sacco emerges and tries to kill Tubbs, who in turn shoots Sacco down. Tubbs wonders why NYPD didn't take down Sacco with three years worth of evidence, but Valerie grabs a gun and tells Tubbs to "talk to Crockett's friend Margaret" as to what happened. They go to see Margaret (Tubbs found her number in Sacco's address book) and she reveals she is an information gatherer for anyone, business dealers, etc., but never intended to fall in love with the mark (Crockett), she refers them to a Wall Street banker named J.J. Johnston (Julian Beck) who, after reciting their financial & credit histories, tells them his bank loaned a large sum of money to the Revillas and if they don't keep their loan agreement his bank would be devastated, which is why he and others like him are making sure that law enforcement doesn't stop them from meeting those obligations. Crockett & Tubbs load up their weapons and drugs and head for the meet with the Revillas. Just after the meet starts, Valerie shows up and a shootout entails. Everyone but Esteban Revilla (Miguel Pinero) is shot down, he escapes to a helicopter with Crockett in pursuit. Crockett takes aim for and shoots at the helicopter, which crashes in flames. Valerie & Tubbs make love, while Crockett packs up and heads to the airport for the flight to Miami. Tubbs then runs down (thinking he's late) and meets Crockett at the airport. They arrive back in Miami, everyone acting as if they never left, except for Gina, who has recovered (except for a injured arm). Notes * This episode, like the pilot "Brother's Keeper" and the series finale "Freefall" (also the final two hour episode), is aired in syndication as two parts instead of a single two hour episode. Part II starts after the "If the supplier can't deliver..." quote. * Bill Smitrovich played Crockett's DEA friend (and Calderone informant) Scottie Wheeler in the pilot "Brother's Keeper". * Pam Grier would return in the Season 5 "lost episode" "Too Much, Too Late". * Miguel Pinero, who played Crockett's & Tubbs' arch-nemesis Calderone, plays a Revilla brother in this episode, as well as writing the episode "Smuggler's Blues". His hair was longer and wears sunglasses to differentiate himself from his Calderone persona. * Julian Beck (who was suffering from cancer) died during filming of the movie "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" two weeks before this episode aired, and is considered a victim of the "Poltergeist Curse". This was his only television appearance. * Jan Hammer's short music piece (starting after the informant is killed) is played every time a player (either on the good side or bad) is killed. * With 13 different songs used, this episode uses the most pop songs of any in the series. * The stock shots of New York at the beginning include the World Trade Center, Trump Tower and Times Square. The final scene with the helicopter has the WTC as the backdrop. * Penn Jillette's comedy/magic partner, Teller, appeared in Season 4's "Like A Hurricane". * Ken Ober (in an uncredited role as a taxi driver that picks up Crockett & Margaret) would gain notoriety (along with Colin Quinn from Saturday Night Live & Kari Wuhrer from General Hospital) as host of the classic 1980's MTV game show Remote Control. Music *"Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)" by Billy Ocean (Crockett & Tubbs on Newton Blade's boat) *"Glad" by Traffic (Crockett & Tubbs first meet Jimmy for breakfast) *"The Pleasure Seekers" by The System (In Club Delirious) *"Tell It Like It Is" by Aaron Neville (Tubbs & Valerie dancing) *"You Belong To The City" by Glenn Frey (Crockett walking streets) *"Many Rivers To Cross" by Joe Cocker (Valerie leaves club after dancing with Tubbs) *"Pride (In The Name Of Love)" by U2 (Crockett meets Margaret) *"Do You Believe In Love" by Huey Lewis and the News (Margaret & Crockett catch cab) *"White Stuff" by Fashion (Jimmy, Crockett & Tubbs going around NYC) *"Good Night, Ladies" by Lou Reed (Meeting with transvestite dealer) *"Goodbye Girl" by Go West (Crockett, Tubbs & Jimmy in Club Delirious) *"Windswept" by Bryan Ferry (Crockett gets his gun from Margaret) *"Take Me Home" by Phil Collins (Tubbs & Valerie in bed, Crockett getting ready for return to Miami) Quotes *"Welcome to the third-world!" -- Drummond to Crockett & Tubbs in Bogota *"Vietnam, Cambodia, Columbia, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Everglades...bet I've soaked more swamp than Elvis!" -- Crockett hiding in the Glades waiting for the Revillas *"Miami might be paradise, but now you're looking into the core of civilization!" -- Tubbs to Crockett about New York City *"Are you crazy, we're looking into gridlock! -- Crockett in response *"That's Tubbs, T-U-B-B-S, Tough, Unique, Bad, Bold, and Sassy!" -- Tubbs leaving a message for Valerie *Crockett: "If the supplier can't deliver..." Tubbs: "Then the Revillas' customers start to shiver!" *"That was major 'uncool''" -- Crockett to Margaret about taking his gun *"I can't touch you, I know that, too many roadblocks, politics, favors, but you're dirty, ace, and I'm '''patient!" -- ''Crockett to Johnston Categories:Miami Vice Season 2 Episodes